Author: Victoria Sutton, MS Psychology

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Delicate Subject Series – Family Violence

Warning: Ted Bundy makes an appearance 

Family Violence can destroy an individual from reaching their potential.  Victims can experience low self-esteem, substance abuse, depression, suicidal tendencies, and wreak havoc on society.

  • Examples of Family Violence
    1. Child Abuse + Neglect
    2. Spousal + Partner Abuse
    3. Elder Abuse
    4. Physical Abuse
    5. Sibling Abuse
    6. Verbal Abuse (name calling, cursing)
    7. Verbal Violence (scorch-the-earth tempers)
    8. Sexual Abuse
    9. Financial Exploitation (ex. identity theft)

Commentary

First, it’s one thing for a parent, or other caregiver, to spank a child** with an open hand showing love and directing the youth to change negative behaviors.  It’s quite another to beat and punch a child out of anger resulting in bodily harm.  Other forms of this type of abuse are getting in the tub with a child and taking a bath or shower with them; leaving pornographic materials around the house*; having sex in front of the child*; walking around in the nude within home environment, or property*; sexually-explicit conversations in front of, or directed towards youth, which provides no proper educational value in their becoming a responsible, well-adjusted individual*; failing to keep them clean, providing a roof over their heads, feeding, sending them to school, and intentional lying about and on child causing dysfunction among siblings.  Also, when a spouse/partner is abused, the child is automatically abused because they witnessed the mistreatment*.  Concerning neglect, to be fair, some of these parents may have mental health, or financial issues, which prevent them from raising their children properly.  Also, perhaps these are abused parents and keep children at home in the belief no additional harm will come towards them from abusive spouse/partner, or some other abusive person in household.

Second, #4, #6 – 9 directed towards a spouse, or partner.

Third, neglect resulting with the elderly suffering nutritionally, grooming, taking necessary medications, and having protected, clean environment; #4, #6 – 9.

Fourth, any physical contact intentionally meant to incur bodily harm.

Fifth, it’s important for parents to resolve negative behavior when a child is harming a sibling.  When there are more than two children, the bully may coax the others in mistreating the target for abuse.

Sixth, name-calling, cursing, mocking with the intention to damage self-worth of others within household.  Also known as psychological abuse.

Seventh, rage from at least one of the adults in the household, even if the behavior isn’t aimed at anyone in particular within that household.

Eighth, inappropriate sexual contact, not necessarily penetration, by a member of the family, and others within the family construct.  Sexual abuse within a family can occur when families double up the household with immediate family members, and extended members.

Finally, family members who open bank accounts and credit cards, purchase insurance, steals tax returns, etc. from a member of the family, or part of family construct.

Commentary

By the time a child turns the age of six, they’ve either developed a conscience, or haven’t. Ted Bundy didn’t.  The household he was raised in until he was six years old with his mother and maternal grandparents can best be described A House of Horror.  He was a child who saw too much:  The grandfather possessed a violent temper, whipped the family pets, left pornographic materials around the home, and was deceptive (Rule, 2000). Whenever family members saw him coming up the walkway, they ran out the backdoor, except his wife who suffered from agoraphobia.   Bundy was at an impressionable age, thus his grandfather “taught” him these behaviors which he would act out on his victims when he became an adult.  “In the beginning he did not kill.  However, once he murdered—once he crossed that boundary, violated that taboo—killing got easier and easier” (Lewis, 1998). Are there other causations besides family violence and substance abuse which led to his murderous behaviors?  Yes, (Lewis) and we may never discover what they were.

Rule was the former police lieutenant whom Bundy became friendly as an adult at the Seattle Crisis Center, and Dr. Lewis the psychiatrist who worked as a member of his defense team.

References

Lewis, M.D., D. O. (1998). Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Ivy Books: New York.

Rule, A. (2000). The Stranger Beside Me. (20th Anniversary Ed.). NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

*This brand of abuse also falls under the category Children Who See Too Much

**Spanking a child is illegal in certain states

Vikki

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Wounded Warrior Project – “Combat Stress Recovery Program”

The “Combat Stress Recovery Program” is a valuable resource which assists former military personnel during the healing process.  Its’ Project Odyssey is “an outdoor, rehabilitative retreat that promotes peer connection, challenging outdoor experiences, and healing with other combat veterans.”

Vikki

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Want to Improve a Child’s Social Development? Give Them Shakespeare

photo

It’s a process:

The child who once thought reading was boring, uninspiring, will develop a fondness for books after they’ve read Shakespeare, or viewed a production.  Reading The Bard’s beautiful language will reinforce in them to enunciate words properly.  If they’re introverted, they’ll stand out in English class reciting lines with enthusiasm.  Parents can incorporate readings on fun nights at home with family members and friends participating. Joining school organizations, gaining friends, will create new socializing opportunities for a child.

Even if they remain a tad shy, it’s an endearing quality.  Their cognition, self-esteem, and confidence will expand, leading to new social skills.  They’ll become more outgoing which they can carry throughout their adult years.

Vikki

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Dr. Stanley Milgram and Social Psychology – History Revisited

Warning:  The third video contains graphic images.

Social Psychology is defined, “…as the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior and thought to social situations” (Baron, Byrne, and Branscombe, 2006).  Organizing a luncheon with friends and going along (conformity) with the majority of the group’s preferred restaurant; emulating dangerous activities viewed on television (negative conformity); whether co-workers get along, or have conflicts; persuading a potential client to enter a business venture; having the mindset (stereotype) that beautiful people are automatically good people, and comparing ourselves with others to learn if a reality is true (social comparison) are some of the examples and concepts involving social psychology.

Dr. Milgram was a major contributor to Social Psychology, and his work greatly influences the discipline in contemporary society.  You’ll see his famous experiment shortly. Additional information about him and his work can be found right here.

  • Stanley Milgram – Invitation to Social Psychology

Pay close attention to the body language of the young man described in the video before he answers questions, especially the last one.  He may have experienced cognitive dissonance (competing thoughts resulting in psychological distress).

  • Stanley Milgram – Conformity and Independence

How many times over the decades have we emulated behavior in similar fashion?

  • Milgram Obedience Study

And here is Dr. Milgram’s famous experiment.  Before viewing, it has to be noted that no one was harmed in this study.  Dr. Milgram’s contraption emitted no electronic shocks whatsoever.  The experiment was to understand if participants were willing to harm others based on orders of authority.

Commentary

Negative Obedience.  The next time we hear about someone who engaged in deadly activity as part of a gang initiation, teachers complying with orders from the head of a school district to inflate grades, employees jumping into lockstep with their project manager to lie about the dangers of a new product soon to go on the market, and other related items we hear about in the media these days, we can remember Dr. Milgram showed us that some people will comply in behaviors which goes against conscience and societal mores.

Reference

Baron, R. A., Byrne, D., & Branscombe, N. R. (2006). Social Psychology. (11th ed.). MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Vikki

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Hypothesis: Treatment of the Vascular Risk Factors – “Researchers May Have Discovered a Plan to Disable Meniere’s Disease”

Vestibular_systems_semicircular_canal

Neuroscience News stated that “Meniere’s Disease” is a,

“… disabling disorder resulting in repeated violent attacks of dizziness, ringing in the ear and hearing loss that can last for hours and can ultimately cause permanent deafness in the affected ear. Up until now, the cause of the attacks has been unknown, with no theory fully explaining the many symptoms and signs of the disorder.”

The research indicates that millions of individuals can look forward to relief based upon treatment assumptions.  The expanded version of literature from Drs. Breeze and Foster can be found at The Meniere attack: An ischemia/reperfusion disorder of inner ear sensory tissues.

Vikki

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Psych Central: “Antibodies in GI Tract Linked to Greater Risk for Bipolar Illness”

photo-1 GI-Tract

 

The individual diagnosed with bipolar disorder will experience frequent mood swings affecting their personality and daily routine.  A recent study indicated that the origin for this condition may be found in the gastrointestinal tract.  Not only can these  findings determine patients with potential food allergies, changes in food selections and other areas may decrease the number of cases in the future from suffering this psychiatric condition.

 

Vikki

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Further Examination of a Mental Health Condition – “Jumping DNA in the Brain May Be a Cause of Schizophrenia”

An imbalance of the neurotransmitter dopamine is one causation for schizophrenia, and there’s an association with the environment as a contributor.  Medical News Today addressed new research which suggests that the environmental factor can negatively modify an individual’s DNA, resulting in schizophrenia and other illnesses.

Vikki

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New Year’s Resolutions – Celebrating Short-Term Goals

Many people this time of year have objectives they wish to meet, then they become overwhelming, creating “generalized anxiety”, and quickly burdensome.  That needn’t happen.  Reasonable goals are 90% mental preparation and 10% physical in bringing them into fruition.  Which is why each goal should be broken down into increments.  An example is the person who desires to lose weight.  They should have in mind how they wish to pursue weight reduction, and quietly congratulate themselves after that first five pounds, and then subsequent equal amounts of weight loss.  This method can also be used for the individual making home renovations.  Each room improvement can become a victory towards the completed residential makeover.  Also, the individual deciding to pursue college shouldn’t view four years nearly as long as they originally thought.  Each completed course is a step closer in receiving their diploma.

If we’re not careful negative moods can control our brains.  Thinking differently with a positive mindset is an important measure in removing unnecessary anxiety from all of our lives.

Vikki